"There would have been some sort of degree of orchestration," he said.

A source at the centre said: "It certainly appears to be a breakout attempt and we suspect some people have escaped."

Mark Littlewood, from human rights group Liberty, said he had heard the disturbance was started after a 55-year-old woman detainee was badly treated.

He said: "There are rumours that the trouble began after a woman who was being taken to hospital to receive medical treatment was handcuffed.

"The early indications are that the conditions at the centre were pretty harsh."

Last night there were 400 people at Yarl's Wood, which was built last year to house 900. It was one of three new centres opened by the Home Office to speed up the removal of asylum seekers whose applications had failed.

Alistair Burt, Conservative MP for North East Bedfordshire, said: "There will have to be serious questions answered at an inquiry after this."